The Howard School is a gem! The staff is very committed to the students, and they want these…read morestudents to be the people of the future. Students are greeted by the principal each morning and every student is known on a first-name basis. Class sizes are small allowing the teachers to focus on each child's needs and goals. If you are looking for a kind, caring community, and a wonderful emotional and academic experience then look no further.

We are incredibly lucky to have found this school in the small community of Carpinteria. At Howard…read morethere is a big emphasis in the development of children as people, not just as students. You can see this in the way that the older students interact with the younger students. They seem to really have gained strong interpersonal skills specifically - emotional intelligence, responsibility, and empathy. The small class sizes and a strong emphasis on higher level thinking within the curriculum are really what makes this school great. We've loved every teacher we've met. There is no place I would rather have my children. I can't recommend it enough.

I like this school. I always go to Cindy in the front office for help, she is the best.read more

What a wonderful inclusive, learning & creative community for children. Hats off to the talented &…read morecaring director; Kaleigh Willams & her stellar partner in crime; Sheri. Children are encouraged & valued while at Kinderkirk. Lisa Bonet

Kinderkirk has given so much more than I could've asked in the last almost year my son has been…read morethere. He has become so incredibly social, talkative, intuitive, he has wonderful manners, and truly enjoys all of his teachers. The best is when I witness him hug his teachers just because he wants to and then proceeds to tell me all the wonderful things they did throughout the day. My husband went to kinderkirk when he was younger and to now have our son there, is not only special but so close to our heart! Thank you KKK staff for all that you do!

This is an amazing tutor. We had Jonathon and my son loves him so much. He not only helped our son…read moreunderstand the math concepts in Trig and Calculus, he made him much more confident! My son has requested to do the SAT prep with him and we definitely will. He's just a fantastic tutor!

Our family has worked with Open Horizons for over four years. Jon tutored my son when he wanted to…read moremove ahead in middle school math and continued to help him through pre-calculus. Far more than just an organized effective tutor, Jon is an encouraging cheerleader and positive role model. He developed a true friendship with both my kids who always looked forward to their sessions with him. He is also great at communicating progress to parents. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Open Horizons and have recommended this service to many friends.

We were trying to rebuild a sense of normalcy after being displaced by the Eaton Fire and needed…read moreshort-term childcare support. We turned to Beach Baby Nannies hoping for help -- but what we experienced was disturbing, bizarre, and at times felt dangerous. It's hard to write this, because we wanted to move on from it, but not sharing it would be irresponsible. The first sitter, Alex, showed up four hours late on her very first day, claiming she slept through her alarm. She was rarely on time after that. We needed help in the early mornings due to the ages of our children (five and one), but she couldn't consistently wake up. Out of desperation, we shifted her hours to the afternoon. We should've ended things then, but Trudie told us no other sitters were available. We had no other leads and were in a difficult spot. Then Alex showed up without a working phone. My mother-in-law had to send her out immediately to get one so she could communicate and call 911 if needed. That same shift, Alex disappeared for five hours without communication. At that point, we started connecting the dots. She was using the bathroom every 20 minutes and never flushed -- strongly suggesting she wasn't using it for its intended purpose. Afterward, her speech would speed up, her volume increased, and her behavior turned manic. She vented personal problems, said she records phone calls, and would talk compulsively even if no one was in the room. She constantly forgot instructions, routines, and basic information. Instead of support, she brought instability and confusion. When we raised concerns, Trudie first said Alex had bladder issues, then later told us on the phone, "I don't think she has bladder problems -- we'll be cutting ties." The implication we were left with was concerning -- and hard to interpret as anything other than potential drug use. Why did we stay with the agency after this? Because Trudie and Alex repeatedly framed it as a fluke. We were given apologies, reassurances, and promises: "This has never happened before and will never happen again." When you're exhausted, working, and trying to keep your home stable for your kids, you want to believe people will do the right thing. That trust was completely broken. Trudie said she wanted to make things right and told us she would be sending one of her top nannies to correct the situation. We took her at her word -- and that's how Samantha came into our home. The second sitter, Samantha, seemed fine at first -- but within days, her behavior unraveled. At one point, she told us, "My meds are wearing off." If you're caring for young children, that's something you manage, not let slide. It was disturbing. She began compulsively reorganizing the house -- opening every drawer, removing items, hiding them in strange places. One drawer is still missing. She laid out our 5-year-old's clothes in piles outside in the courtyard. On her last day, she stayed until 10pm, uninvited, and her behavior was disoriented and erratic. Then she accused us of offering her alcohol -- an accusation that was completely false. We don't drink, and there's no alcohol in our home. She also overbilled us by 12 hours. We had to catch the mistake, correct it, and still paid her in full -- yet another burden from a service that was supposed to reduce stress. Only after everything fell apart did we find a one-star Yelp review from July 15, 2019 describing nearly the exact same experience: unstable sitters, drinking, clients blamed. Trudie's public response to that review was defensive and unprofessional. Based on what we experienced, we expect the same here. Trudie seems far more interested in protecting her image than in addressing serious safety concerns in her business. What Beach Baby Nannies offers is not safety, not professionalism, and certainly not peace of mind. What they deliver is emotional volatility, unscreened risk, and zero accountability -- repackaged as a luxury service. We're sharing this so no other family, especially one already in a vulnerable position, has to go through what we did. UPDATE: Trudie claimed I hadn't paid, but I've added screenshots that clearly show I did -- along with her accusation, which she has already edited three times.

We've used Beach Baby Nannies twice now, and Trudie has been absolutely exceptional both times…read more From start to finish, her nanny placement service is professional, warm, and worry-free. For our second nanny, we tried to handle the search ourselves and failed miserably. At the last minute we called Trudie, and she still managed to find us someone amazing who was a perfect fit for our family. That alone showed us just how good she is at what she does. Trudie takes the time to really understand what your family needs -- schedule, childcare style, and personality fit -- and every nanny she's placed with us has been punctual, attentive, loving, and reliable. She truly cares, checks in, and makes sure everything is running smoothly. If you're looking for a nanny placement service with professionalism, compassion, and heart, Trudie at Beach Baby Nannies is outstanding. We recommend her wholeheartedly!

Great school. Embraces the small town feel Carpinteria is known for with its outgoing faculty and…read moretight knit student body. Located up against the hills, the site includes a track/football field, gymnasium, and agricultural center as part of its open campus.